Weavee doll

ABSTRACT

A child&#39;s doll with multiple interchangeable hair pieces which may be fastened to the doll&#39;s scalp to create a variety of hair styles. A fastening material covers the doll&#39;s scalp area, and the fastening material may include a conventional Velcro® type loop fastener. A variety of interchangeable cross-cultural accessorized hair pieces are also provided, varied in size, and may chosen from the group consisting of Microbraids, Senegalese twists, Pixie braids, Bobs, Corn rows, Silk braids, African twists, braids, Individual braids, Flat twists and Straight locks, as well as other ethnic and high-fashion hair pieces. The hair pieces include distal fastening pads (such as Velcro® type hook fasteners) that removably attach to the scalp fastening material. The individual hair pieces may be attached in combination to form a variety of cross-cultural hair cuts, colors, textures, braids, twists, weaves, etc. in a variety of styles, cuts, lengths, textures, colors, etc.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application derives priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/532,068 filed: Dec. 23, 2003

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a doll with interchangeable hair pieces, and more particularly to multiple braided hair pieces attachable by a Velcro® type fastener (i.e. hook and loop to give children the ability to create interchangeable cross-cultural hairstyles such as African American braided styles, Asian, European, Hispanic and the like.

2. Background of the Invention

Presently, there are multiple hair products on the market (i.e. wigs, braids, weaves and other hair pieces) that allow users to drastically change their look or style, creating a unique fashion statement for any occasion. Many young children today are very conscious of style and fashion trends. During playtime they wish to imitate those trends. For example, children will often comb and style a doll's hair with braids, barrettes and other fashion accessories. However, because traditional doll heads are generally formed with artificial hair that is permanently mounted to the doll's head (i.e. by rooting), children do not have the opportunity to vary the style, color, texture, length, or cut of the doll's hair.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 4,874,345 to Dirks, issued on Oct. 17, 1989, discloses a doll's head with a suction mounted changeable wig. Individual wigs may be changed to vary the doll's hair style. The '345 patent states that using artificial hair pieces on dolls is popular, but unsuccessful because the “attachment of the hair pieces to the doll head is not practical or possible since the hair pieces are difficult to mount on the doll's head”.

Therefore, there remains a need in the art for a doll on to which multiple hair pieces can be fastened simultaneously, allowing users to apply multiple hair pieces of a variety of interchangeable cross-cultural hairstyles, colors, textures, cuts, lengths, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to create a doll on to which multiple individual hair pieces can be fastened simultaneously to the scalp area of the doll's head, and to provide an array of accessorized hair pieces, thereby allowing a user to repeatedly vary the doll's hair in a variety of interchangeable cross-cultural hairstyles, colors, textures, cuts, lengths, etc., including African American braided styles, Asian, European, Hispanic, and other ethnic and fashion styles.

It is another object to create a doll to which an array of individual African American hair pieces are attached in combination, the hair pieces being chosen from the group consisting of Microbraids, Senegalese twists, Pixie braids, Bobs, Corn rows, Silk braids, African twists, straight hair, Goddess braids, Individual braids, Flat twists and Straight locks. The hair pieces are individually fastened to the doll's head, giving the user the ability to style these hair pieces together in order to create a unique fashion statement.

Another object of the present invention is to create a doll which includes a fastener means, such as a Velcro® hook component, attached to the doll's scalp area and another fastener means, such as a Velcro® loop component, attached to multiple hair pieces, such that the multiple hair pieces may be secured to and removed from the doll's head at will.

It is a further object of the present invention that the multiple hair pieces of the present invention may vary, in composition (i.e. human or synthetic hair), length, style, texture, color, cut, etc. to allow the user a variety of options when creating a doll's particular hair style.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view illustration of the doll of the present invention with an exemplary hair style.

FIG. 2 is top view perspective of the present invention, and in particular, the scalp area of the doll's head without attached hair pieces.

FIG. 3 is a side view perspective of the present invention, and in particular, the scalp area.

FIG. 4 is a front view illustration of the doll of the present invention with another exemplary hair style.

FIG. 5 is a composite view of a variety of individual hair pieces 2 a-2 c, including curly 2 a and straight locks 2 b, 2 c.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the doll of the present invention with an exemplary hair style formed by multiple rows of hair pieces 2 (here Weaves) fastened onto the doll's head 1. In accordance with the present invention, an array of accessory African American hair pieces 2 are provided and may be attached in combination, the hair pieces being chosen from the group consisting of Microbraids, Senegalese twists, Pixie braids, Bobs, Corn rows, Silk braids, African twists, Goddess braids, Individual braids, Flat twists, Straight locks, Weaves, Curls and others. The hair pieces 2 are individually fastened to the doll's head 1, giving the user the ability to style these hair pieces together in order to create a unique fashion statement. One skilled in the art will understand that other ethnic and fashion styles may be provided.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are top and side perspective views, respectively, of the present invention. These figures illustrate a preferred means by which the multiple hair pieces 2, may be removably fastened to the scalp 3 of the doll's head 1. Specifically, a fastening layer 4 is permanently attached to the scalp 3 of the doll's head 1. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention this fastening layer 4 is a hooked section of a conventional Velcro® hook and loop fastener material.

Referring to FIG. 3 each hair piece 2 (here Braided) has an attachment end 5. The illustrated hair piece 2 is formed from multiple individual strands of hair braided together otherwise secured to each other at or near attachment end 5. The strands of hair may be formed from human hair, synthetic fibers or some other appropriate strands. Each hair piece 2 may vary in size and may be chosen from the group consisting of Microbraids, Senegalese twists, Pixie braids, Bobs, Corn rows, Silk braids, African twists, Goddess braids, Individual braids, Flat twists, Weaves, Curls and Straight locks. Additionally, sewn on to, glued, or otherwise connected to attachment end 5, is a fastening pad 6 that removably attaches to fastening material 4. Again, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention the fastening pad 6 is the loop component of a standard Velcro® hook and loop mating fastener. The individual hair pieces 2 may be attached in combination to form a variety of African American heritage cuts, colors, textures, braids, twists, weaves, etc., as well as well as other ethnic and fashion styles.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that there may be other means of removably fastening the multiple hair pieces 2 to the scalp area 3. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the hook component of Velcro® brand products may naturally attach the hair pieces 2 to the scalp 3 without a loop component fastening mate 6. (For example, see Velcro® brand self-holding curlers which use the hook component alone to secure hair curlers to hair.)

In operation, the user will place multiple individual hair pieces 2 on the doll's scalp 3, such that the fastening pads 6 secure the hair pieces 2 in place to the fastening material 4. The user may additionally style the multiple hair pieces 2 by brushing, braiding, weaving, using other hair accessories, etc. to form a desired hair style. The doll's hair style may be altered simply by interchanging various hair pieces 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary hair style on the doll's head 1 with multiple long straight hair pieces 2 and a braided hair piece 2 a.

FIG. 5 is a composite view of a variety of individual hair pieces 2 a-2 c, including curly 2 a and straight locks 2 b, 2 c, these hair pieces 2 being adapted for lateral layered attachment to the scalp 3 of the doll's head 1 to create an aesthetically-pleasing overall hair style. 

1. A doll for repeatedly creating and varying hair styles, said doll including a head with a fastening material attached to the scalp area, and a plurality of individual hair pieces for individual attachment to said fastening material in combination, whereby said hair pieces may be individually removably fastened to the doll's head, giving the user the ability to style these hair pieces together in order to create a unique fashion statement, and to repeatedly interchange said hair pieces on said doll's head to create a variety of new and different hair styles.
 2. The doll according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of individual hair pieces are hosen from the group consisting of Microbraids, Senegalese twists, Pixie braids, Bobs, Corn rows, Silk braids, African twists, Goddess braids, Individual braids, Flat twists, Weaves, Curls and Straight locks. 